This is my host family in Amaile, the village that we trained at. They were really great, and I miss them.
Some might recognize this from when we were researching Samoa before coming. It's the swimming, bathing and clothes washing pool for Amaile.
Here is my host sister, holding up a picture she colored, my Samoan name is Leone, is I haven't mentioned that before. Lay-o-nay. Not the dudes name from America.
This is me and two of the kids in my family in Amaile and one other straggler that likes to have his picture taken.
2/18/09
Okay so, I got through my first seminar. It was a little scary, but the guys were good sports, probably mostly at my expense, but that’s okay, I’ve learned to deal with people laughing at me, and me not knowing why, so I just laugh along. That’s been one of my main coping mechanisms actually, and it works everytime.
Anyway back to the seminar. 15 of the Aumaga (strength of the village) came to listen to the seminar, all striking young men, well except for a few. Tia couldn’t come, but she sent her sister Leutogi instead, to help me translate when I had difficulties, and to help with the questions. My had my speech, and my hand-made map of Samoa with all the coral reef outlined and other Marine Protected Areas in the country. I have to say it was pretty, I’ll take a picture for everyone to see. I think it took about 45 minutes for me to get through the seminar, with inserts from Leutogi, explaining what I was talking about, if it was unclear.
The questions at the end were really great though. I didn’t think that anyone would have any, but instead would want to leave and go home to malolo (rest), however, there was a good 20 minutes of questions that I could answer, so it was pretty good. I did have to have Leutogi translate a lot of the questions though, but I got through it okay.
Basically my goal in doing these seminars is to teach these guys a little about their environment, why it’s important to protect it, and how we go about doing it. We’re also saving quite a lot of money, having me do the seminars and not having to put on the production of having someone from the outside coming in. They don’t have to make food for me, or get all dressed up, or go through all the customary stuff, which makes me feel like I’m at home and they accept me. I also wanted to prove that I know a little something about the ocean, and that I’m here for a reason. This is just the first one though, so I have plenty more time to really drive that one home.
Overall I think I got out off it with a little dignity, although one of the guys joking (or not so jokingly) said I should pay each of them ten tala for coming to the seminars. Everyone laughed and then I followed it with, leai ni tupe, or there’s no money. Everyone laughed at that too, so I think I handled it well. Money is always a problem, here and everywhere else.
Anyway back to the seminar. 15 of the Aumaga (strength of the village) came to listen to the seminar, all striking young men, well except for a few. Tia couldn’t come, but she sent her sister Leutogi instead, to help me translate when I had difficulties, and to help with the questions. My had my speech, and my hand-made map of Samoa with all the coral reef outlined and other Marine Protected Areas in the country. I have to say it was pretty, I’ll take a picture for everyone to see. I think it took about 45 minutes for me to get through the seminar, with inserts from Leutogi, explaining what I was talking about, if it was unclear.
The questions at the end were really great though. I didn’t think that anyone would have any, but instead would want to leave and go home to malolo (rest), however, there was a good 20 minutes of questions that I could answer, so it was pretty good. I did have to have Leutogi translate a lot of the questions though, but I got through it okay.
Basically my goal in doing these seminars is to teach these guys a little about their environment, why it’s important to protect it, and how we go about doing it. We’re also saving quite a lot of money, having me do the seminars and not having to put on the production of having someone from the outside coming in. They don’t have to make food for me, or get all dressed up, or go through all the customary stuff, which makes me feel like I’m at home and they accept me. I also wanted to prove that I know a little something about the ocean, and that I’m here for a reason. This is just the first one though, so I have plenty more time to really drive that one home.
Overall I think I got out off it with a little dignity, although one of the guys joking (or not so jokingly) said I should pay each of them ten tala for coming to the seminars. Everyone laughed and then I followed it with, leai ni tupe, or there’s no money. Everyone laughed at that too, so I think I handled it well. Money is always a problem, here and everywhere else.
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